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2022 SESSION

22107419D
HOUSE BILL NO. 191
AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE
(Proposed by the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations
on March 3, 2022)
(Patron Prior to Substitute--Delegate Hodges)
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Title 2.2 a chapter numbered 4.5, consisting of a section numbered 2.2-450, relating to health workforce development; Special Advisor to the Governor for Health Workforce Development; Virginia Health Workforce Development Fund.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding in Title 2.2 a chapter numbered 4.5, consisting of a section numbered 2.2-450 as follows:

CHAPTER 4.5.
SPECIAL ADVISOR FOR HEALTH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.

§ 2.2-450. Special Advisor to the Governor for Health Workforce Development; Virginia Health Workforce Development Fund.

A. As used in this section, "health workforce" includes individuals working in the areas of behavioral health and health sciences.

B. The position of Special Advisor to the Governor for Health Workforce Development (the Special Advisor) is hereby created. The Special Advisor shall be appointed by the Governor and shall be responsible for coordinating and aligning, in collaboration with the Secretaries of Commerce and Trade, Education, Health and Human Resources, and Labor, efforts to (i) expand the health workforce in the Commonwealth by supporting the coordination of education, training, recruitment, and incentive programs designed to improve staff retention and build the Commonwealth's health workforce; (ii) address regulatory, payment, and other issues that negatively impact recruitment and retention of members of the health workforce in critical practice areas, including behavioral health, developmental services, nursing, and public health; and (iii) develop a strategy to address the behavioral health safety net workforce shortage in the Commonwealth. The Special Advisor shall also be responsible for overseeing the Virginia Health Workforce Development Fund established pursuant to subsection C and establishing a process for the issuance of grants to regional health workforce development initiatives established to meet regional health workforce needs by developing and supporting targeted initiatives to address unique regional needs related to health workforce education, training, recruitment, and retention to fulfill the purposes set forth in this subsection.

C. There is hereby created in the state treasury a special nonreverting fund to be known as the Virginia Health Workforce Development Fund, referred to in this section as "the Fund." The Fund shall be established on the books of the Comptroller. All funds appropriated for such purpose and any gifts, donations, grants, bequests, and other funds received on its behalf shall be paid into the state treasury and credited to the Fund. Interest earned on moneys in the Fund shall remain in the Fund and be credited to it. Any moneys remaining in the Fund, including interest thereon, at the end of each fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund but shall remain in the Fund. Moneys in the Fund shall be used solely for the purposes of (i) providing incentives for the removal of barriers to educating and training members of the health workforce that include increasing eligible faculty, clinical placements, and residencies; (ii) incentivizing the production of health workforce credentials, degrees, and licensures based on a rigorous analysis of the need by the Office of Education and Labor Market Alignment; (iii) addressing regulatory barriers to entering into and staying in the health workforce; (iv) providing education and training for members of the health workforce to align education and training initiatives with existing and evolving health workforce need, and (v) making grants to regional health workforce development initiatives established to meet regional health workforce needs by developing and supporting targeted initiatives to address unique regional needs related to health workforce education, training, recruitment, and retention to fulfill the purposes set forth in subsection B. Expenditures and disbursements from the Fund shall be made by the State Treasurer on warrants issued by the Comptroller upon written request signed by the Special Advisor.

2. That the provisions of this act shall expire on July 1, 2026.

3. That the Special Advisor to the Governor for Health Workforce Development established by this act shall, in addition to any other powers and duties, review and evaluate the structure and organization of the Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority established by § 32.1-122.7 of the Code of Virginia and make recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly on the long-term administrative structure and funding of the Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority on or before November 1, 2022.

4. That the provisions of this act shall not become effective unless an appropriation effectuating the purposes of this act is included in a general appropriation act passed in 2022 by the General Assembly that becomes law.